矛
contributes the sense of a spear or lance · Kangxi radical 110
contributes the sense of a spear or lance, though in most characters it works mainly as a sound clue for readings like máo, mào and róu
The old graph of 矛 drew a long-shafted spear standing upright, with a pointed blade at the top and a loop or tassel tied to the shaft. In the modern form you can still read that picture from the top down: the short stroke at the top is the point, the long hooked stroke running down the middle is the shaft, and the crossing strokes are the binding and tassel. The final diagonal added on the right is a leftover of the ornament rather than part of the weapon itself. In characters such as 茅, 袤 and 柔 the spear shape is there for its sound, not its meaning.
矛 at a glance
- Meaning
- contributes the sense of a spear or lance
- Strokes
- 5
- Characters
- 9
- Role
- Contributes meaning and sound
- Kangxi radical
- 110
Characters with 矛 (7 of 9)
HSK 5 · 1
Frequently asked questions
What does the component 矛 mean?
矛 means "contributes the sense of a spear or lance". In the characters that contain it, it contributes meaning and sound.
How many Chinese characters contain 矛?
9 characters in this dictionary contain 矛, including ones at HSK 5.
Is 矛 a radical?
Yes — 矛 is Kangxi radical 110, one of the 214 traditional indexing radicals used to organise Chinese dictionaries.
How many strokes does 矛 have?
矛 is written in 5 strokes.